Job Overview

executive director, henry b. plant museum

r
tampa

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position details

the henry b. plant museum at the university of tampa seeks an accomplished executive director with primary responsibility for overseeing the museum's management and financial operations, including responsibility for exhibitions, acquisitions; care and preservation of the museum collection; friend-and-fund raising; educational programming and community engagement; and serving as primary liaison for carrying out the administration of the museum in accordance with the agreement between the university of tampa and the city of tampa.

the 1891 tampa bay hotel, now a national historic landmark, is home to the university of tampa and the henry b. plant museum. during the 1880s, henry bradley plant built an empire of railroads, steamships and hotels. he wanted that empire to have a palace and that palace was the tampa bay hotel - now referred to as florida's "first magic kingdom."

the henry b. plant museum, located in the south wing of the original tampa bay hotel, features original opulent furnishings and artifacts from the hotel collected by mr. and mrs. plant on several buying trips to europe and asia. the museum transports the visitor through educational exhibits and events to the late victorian period, the beginning of florida's tourist industry, and the early years of the city of tampa. it hosts a robust schedule of exhibitions, events, and educational programs throughout the year.

the museum is jointly sponsored by the university of tampa and the city of tampa, but primary responsibility for its operations rests with the university of tampa. recently, the museum was realigned within the university and is now administratively housed in the college of social sciences, mathematics and education (cssme), which contains the department of history, geography and legal studies. to more closely align the museum with the university and college's educational and community outreach missions, the executive director will also have an academic appointment in cssme. faculty rank will be commensurate with the successful candidate's experience and highest degree earned.

specific duties include, but are not limited to:

outreach and development

collaborate with the liaison of the city of tampa, the university of tampa, the museum board, the public and museum support groups.

lead fundraising related to sponsorship of exhibitions and other museum activities, as well as coordinate with members of the board of directors and others in these activities. supervise grant-writing activities.

direct cultivation and solicitation of, and stewardship for, all donors.

outreach to and participate in all relevant stakeholder groups and the general community.

work with the university's office of communications and public affairs and directly with the media to secure appropriate publicity for the programs and exhibitions of the museum.

supervise the development and implementation of a communication plan that includes the museum website and social media.

programming, education, and community engagement

plan, organize and develop programs affecting the collection, exhibitions, restorations, preservation, and history of the museum.

identify, obtain, and develop appropriate exhibitions.

supervise and collaborate with the curator of education to develop appropriate educational programs and expand existing programs. collaborate with cssme and other colleges and departments across campus to leverage the university's expertise in service of the museum's educational and community mission.

teach the equivalent of four credit hours per year in discipline of candidate's expertise and collaborate with cssme and the department of history, geography, and legal studies to develop internships, independent study projects, and other opportunities for undergraduate students to engage with the museum and while supporting its work.

work with the university's office of communications and public affairs and directly with the media to secure appropriate publicity for the programs and exhibitions of the museum.

museum operations and management

maintain inventories and archives.

supervise the operation of the museum store.

perform any related duties necessary to sustain, promote and enhance the museum.

attend all meetings of the board and its committees.

establish and maintain a reporting and communication system to keep the board informed of current operations.

supervise the organization and training of volunteer groups for the museum, thus affording continuity of service for the public.

supervise activities to implement the museum's strategic plan, as well as ongoing revisions to the plan and make recommendations to the board for short and long-term objectives and goals.

ensure the museum is compliant with laws and regulations pertaining to its collections and collecting activities.

supervise all activities to maintain the museum's accreditation. coordinate assessment and accreditation activities and reporting requirements.

prepare and manage the museum budget.

supervise and direct the museum staff and determine their duties and remuneration.

minimum qualifications:
minimum of an m.a. in history, arts management, museum studies, or related field, and experience in museum and exhibition curation and/or museum/arts/non-profit management or related experience required.

preferred qualifications:
ph.d. in history, arts management, museum studies, or related field strongly preferred.

required attachments

please be sure to attach all required documents listed below in the attachment box at the bottom of the "my experience" page of the application before continuing through the application.

1. cover letter

2. curriculum vitae

3. name and contact information for three professional references

4. copy of graduate transcript

5. copy of terminal degree transcript

the successful candidate will be a persuasive, resourceful, innovative, and energetic leader, able to inspire and empower the board, staff, and other key stakeholders to advance the mission of the museum. candidates should have experience representing and promoting an organization and its mission to the general public, as well as sponsors and donors. candidates should also have experience developing partnerships with community groups and organizations in service of the museum's role as a community hub for education and outreach. demonstrated financial management experience, strong analytical abilities, as well as experience with strategic planning and developing and implementing a visionary path for an organization are crucial to long term success.

the ideal candidate will have experience working in a university setting, with strong preference for an individual who has taught at the undergraduate or graduate levels and has experience developing curricular and co-curricular programs and partnerships across disciplines. additionally, candidates should have experience with academic program assessment and accreditation reporting.

this position reports to the provost and president of the university via the dean of the college of social sciences, mathematics and education.

review of applications and nominations by the committee will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. applications received by july 3, 2025, will receive priority consideration.

submission guidelines

to receive full consideration for a faculty appointment with the university of tampa, please be sure to upload documents as required for this position at time of application submission. once your application has been submitted, no changes may be made. required documents should be submitted in the attachment box at the bottom of the "my experience" page of the application before continuing through the application. note: a maximum of five (5) documents may be attached to your application. if more than five (5) documents are required, please combine the additional documents into a single attachment so that you may continue through the application process.

background check requirements

finalists may be required to submit to a criminal background check.

to apply, visit .

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